Pool party season is back

After the Beach Alcohol Ban came the rise of San Diego pool parties. Grab your bikini, heels and water guns, and hop on this trend.

As one would assume, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego was first to begin a wild pool party dubbed Intervention, as inspired by the original Rehab event at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. We locals couldn’t get enough of Hard Rock’s pool party madness, and thus began spinoffs at all luxury rooftops, from Ivy Rooftop at the Andaz Hotel to the adults-only pools at Manchester Grand Hyatt and Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Outside the Gaslamp, the Lafayette Hotel in North Park is known to get down with hipster society, and WaveHouse in Mission Beach teams up with LED Presents to throw beach-side bashes with electronic edge.

When the sun sets, the Sunday Funday party moves on to Five / Ten Intermission at Side Bar. New this year, Stingaree is launching Revive at GuestHouse, an alternative for pool party aftermath.

If you’re into ultra-lounge mimosa marathons, check out the new SummerSalt Pool & Lounge at the Palomar Hotel, or get your brunch on at Searsucker, Craft & Commerce, Firehouse and Sneak Joint.

Run by the same party Gods who created Rehab in Las Vegas, Intervention Sundays at our home-town Hard Rock are the number one wet ‘n’ wild pool parties in San Diego. From Deadmau5 and Armin Van Buuren to Lil Jon and LMFAO, the biggest house DJs and hip-hop acts in the world grace the stage every Sunday as party-goers bare all, drink up and let loose. Hard Rock’s fourth floor outdoor deck features two venues – Float, the poolside lounge with VIP cabanas, and Woodstock, the 9,000-square-foot event space which is transformed into a tropical oasis during Intervention.

Every Sunday, Woodstock is covered in grass turf and filled with private cabanas and day beds, umbrellas, multiple full-service bars and open-grill food stations. As DJs make the crowd go wild, party-goers stir up the dance floor, hang in the pool, lounge in the day beds, or strip down and show off their stuff to the who’s who’s of San Diego. Intervention kicks off the 2012 season on April 15 with Paul Oakenfold. For VIP reservations, call 866.568.5692, and check the full schedule here.

LED Presents Invades Sundays at WaveHouse

San Diego-based entertainment company LED Presents reinvented Sunday Funday at WaveHouse, now featuring the biggest electro and house DJs in the world on select Sundays. Technically, there’s no pool at this party, but from the beachfront location to the incredible ocean view and FlowRider – the signature synthetic wave – we think WaveHouse deserves a spot on our list. This boardwalk hot spot transforms into a wild beach party, featuring VIP cabanas, sandy beaches, hot tubs, FlowRider, beer pong, Twister tournaments and more rotating madness. Next up, LED Presents is bringing Hardwell to WaveHouse on April 29. Stay tuned for upcoming events on our calendar.

Ivy Rooftop Sunday Pool Parties at Andaz San Diego Hotel

Ivy Rooftop is one of the most luxurious rooftops at all of the San Diego hotels. The rooftop boasts an intimate pool area surrounded by chaise lounges and cabana booths, complete with stunning views of the downtown cityscape. Every Sunday during summer, Ivy Rooftop presents an upscale twist on the traditional downtown pool party. Expect a swanky setting, sophisticated crowd, craft cocktails and flowing champagne served poolside. Stay tuned for upcoming events on our calendar.

Last fall, Kimpton took over the former Se Hotel on 5th Avenue, transforming the sleek space into San Diego’s first Palomar. Among other renovations, Kimpton made it a priority to upgrade the fourth floor open-air pool deck. In the previous era, the urban oasis hosted many rowdy pool parties. But according to our Palomar sources, the party is over. Now known as SummerSalt, the pool lounge resists the urge to rage, and instead keeps a steady focus on fresh food, craft cocktails and a chill atmosphere. Chef Simon Dolinky's new pool bar menu launches on Saturday, April 14. Get more details here.

Five / Ten Intermission at Side Bar

Seeing a gap in the Sunday Funday schedule, the smarties over at Side Bar filled the evening void with Five / Ten Intermission. The party no longer stops; from your pool of choice, head to Side Bar from 5 to 10pm for bikini clad bartenders, champagne specials, and even an in-club Jacuzzi. Once refreshed, march on to your nightclub destination. Side Bar kicks off the 2012 season on April 15 with DJ Loczi. For VIP reservations, call 866.618.8969. Stay tuned for upcoming events on our calendar.

Stingaree launched a successful Sunday Day Club this winter, and is now turning the tables for summer. In line with Five/Ten, Revive is a new alternative for the evenings after Sunday Funday. Within the street level lounge known as GuestHouse, Stingaree will offer portable oxygen tanks, anti-hangover shots, electrolyte-infused cocktails and of course, confetti cannons and DJ beats. Revive launches on April 15 with DJ Kurch. For VIP reservations, call 866.810.7174, and get more details here.